‘Adetula, spreading his arms above me, prayed quite canonically with effusions that denoted that he was almost asking God to make me change my decision. But ending his prayers, Sir Adetula said, “Oh God Almighty, in future, this particular newspaper house that he is disenchanted with and leaving, let him return there to head it.” I giggled, covering my face with the right wrist in disbelief to such a prayer, and then muttered ‘Amen’.’
By Kayode Fasua
In the aftermath of death, solution, best cocktailed as revival, has no place to stay. That summarises the existence unto non-existence of all mortals; without perhaps prejudice to the miracle or science of being risen from the dead or of the dead itself choosing to rise up in reunion with the living.
Thus looking straight ahead in deep contemplation upon the woozy import of the inevitability of death, the breaking news of barely a month ago, recapitulates. Top veteran journalist of huge professional stature, master news-story writer, rounded investigative reporter, and proficient media administrator, Sir Ademola Adetula, was pronounced dead. He was aged 74.
Adetula who later in life, in the privacy of his Christian religion of the Catholic genre was made a ‘Sir’ to publicise his induction into the Knights of Saint John International, KSJI, never galloped around in pomposity or gave vent to red-hot inscrutability of self-importance, but chose to live a simple life. In tandem, he never flaunted the Agama-lizard swagger common with most Nigerian big men, consequent upon his being bestowed Member of the Federal Republic, MFR, a national honour that naturally qualifies its awardee as top advisory committee member for the nation. He simply kept it simple, throughout his lifetime.
